Rotenone Returns: It’s a bad day to be a goldfish!

At our 2024 Convention, members made it clear: aquatic invasive species like goldfish are a growing threat to municipal infrastructure and action is needed. They called on us to advocate for better access to tools like rotenone – particularly the safer liquid formulation in this resolution.

Rotenone is a chemical used to manage invasive fish populations by disrupting cellular respiration in gilled animals. While it’s very effective, its powdered form poses serious health risks and can only be handled by highly trained professionals. We asked Health Canada for emergency use approvals, but due to the risks involved, powdered rotenone was denied.

Despite this, our members voices were heard. The demand for a safer solution, combined with the urgent need to control the spread of acquatic invasive species, helped jump-start production of the liquid form of rotenone. As of June 2025, production has resumed and liquid rotenone is expected to be more accessible for municipal use.

This is a strong example of what effective advocacy and a united membership can accomplish. We’ll continue to push for practical solutions that protect Alberta’s communities and critical infrastructure.

Nicole Kimmel, an Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, is an excellent resource for municipalities that are interested in using liquid rotenone. Whether you have questions or need guidance on the authorization process to apply rotenone in stormwater ponds, Nicole can help. She can be contacted at Nicole.kimmel [at] gov.ab.ca (Nicole[dot]kimmel[at]gov[dot]ab[dot]ca)